Solderless connector



Nov. 28, 1950 B. F. LARSEN 2,532,058

SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 23, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zmnentor mag W Clttorneg B. F. LARSEN SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1948.

I Zmventor (Ittorng Patented Nov. 28, 1950 SOLDERLESS CONNECTOR Bruno F. Larsen, Erie, Pa., assignor to Pelham Electric Manufacturing Corp., Erie, Pa., a corporation of New York Application December 23, 1948, Serial No. 56,867

6 Claims. 1

This invention is intended to provide an improved solderless connector useful in making connections to stranded or solid conductors. Advantages include simplicity of construction and ease of manufacture and assembly. F-urther objects and advantages appear in the specification and claims.

In the drawing, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are perspectives of parts of the connector; Fig. 4 is a side View with the parts in position to receive a conductor; Fig. 5 is an end view showing the manner of assembly; Fig. 6 is a, section showing the clamping action on a conductor; Figs. '7 and 8 are fragmentary views of modifications, and Fig. 9 is a perspective of another modification.

The connector comprises a channel shaped member having a base I threaded to receive a clamping screw 2 and flanges 3 having opposed faces 4 for receiving a conductor therebetween. This channel shaped member can be conveniently formed of fiat strip metal. Because the base does not carry current, it need not be copper but may be of any suitable material such as cadmium plated steel. At the lower ends of the flanges are integral projections 5 extending endwise from the edges 6. In the assembled position, the projections 5 underlie projections I on contact members 8, 9 having notches I slidably embracing the surfaces 4 and edges 9 of the flanges. The contact member 8 which carries current should be of metal havin good e1ectrica1 conductivity such as copper. The contact member 9 may be of steel. The contact member 8 may be provided with terminal connection indicated at II. It is ordinarily more convenient to have the contact member 8 beneath the contact member 9. The opposed faces of the contact members may have grooves I2 for receiving a conductor I3. The lowermost contact member has its projections I resting on the projections and closing the space between the ends of the flanges. Upon tightening the screw 2, a downward pressure is exerted on the uppermost contact member providing the clamping or contact pressure against the conductor I3. This clamping pressure is withstood by the underlying projections 5 on the flanges 3.

The connector is assembled by retracting the screw 2 and inserting the contact members 8, 9 'between the flanges 3 at an angle as indicated in Fig. 5. The notches II) at one side of the contact members embrace the upper part of the channel shaped member permitting the projections I at the other side of the contact members to clear the projections 5. When the screw is tightened sufliciently so that the contact members cannot reach the angled position of Fig. 5, the parts cannot be disassembled although there is sufficient clearance between the contact members to permit insertion of a conductor therebetween.

In Figs. '7, 8, and 9 are shown modifications, each of which use the channel shaped member 3 and contact member 9 of the previously described construction. In the Fig. '7 construction, the contact member 8 has its projections I bent downwardly so as to embrace the outer surfaces of the projections 5 on the flanges 3. The downward extensions I4 assist in preventing spreading of the flanges 3 under extreme contact pres sure. The same resistance to spreadin of the flanges 3 is obtained in the modification shown in Fig. 8 in which the projections I on the contact member 8 are provided with projections or bosses I5 which engage the outer corners I6 of the projections 5. Spreading of the flanges 3 under contact pressure is effectively resisted by the bosses I5. The bosses I5 may be formed by a stamping operation as indicated.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9 the contact member 8 is made from channel-shaped copper having downwardly extending side flanges or ribs II which depend along the outer surfaces of the projections 5 or at least cooperate with the outside corners I6 and effectively prevent spreading of the flanges 3 under contact pressure. The formation of the contact member 8 merely requires the cuttin of notches I8 of the same size as the notches III. The terminal lug portion IBa of the contact member has a bolt hole I9 by which the lug may be clamped against a bus bar 20. When the terminal connection is made, the lower edges of the flanges II provide line contact which effectively prevents heating.

The assembly of the contact members 8 and 9 into the channel shaped member and the clamping action on a conductor is the same as in the previously described construction.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a, solderless connector, a channel shaped member having spaced flanges extending from a base, the channel being open at at least one end and the flanges having opposed faces for receiving a conductor therebetween, contact members between the flanges having notches therein slideably embracing the opposed faces and the end edges of the flanges, projections underlying the contact members extending endwise outward from each end edge of the flanges, and a clamping screw in the base of the channel for forcing 3 the contact members together so as to develop contact pressure on a conductor inserted between the contact members.

2. In a solderless connector, a channel shaped member having spaced flanges extending from a base, the channel being open at the bottom and at at least one end and the flanges having opposed faces for receiving a conductor therebetween, a contact member having notches slideably embracing the opposed faces and the end edges of the flanges, projections underly ing the contact member extending outward from the end edges of the flanges, the contact member resting on said projections and closing'the space between the ends of the flanges, and a co-operate ing contact means for forcing a conductor against the contact member and for forcing the contact member against said projections.

3. In a solderless connector, a channel shaped member having spaced flanges extending from a base, the channel being open at at least one end and the flanges having opposed faces for receiving a conductor therebetween, a terminal lug of channel section haivng downwardly extending side flanges, notches in'the lug slideahly embracing the opposed faces and the end edges of the flanges on said member, projections extendin endwise outward from the flanges on said member underneath the terminal lug and between the downwardly extending side, flanges of the terminal lug, and a co-operating contact means for forcing a conductor against the lug and for forcing the lug against said projections.

4, In a solderless connector, a channel shaped member having spaced flanges extending from a base, the channel being open at at lfiast one end and the flanges having opposed ,faces for receiving a conductor therebetween, projections ex.- tending endwise outward from the end edges of the lower ends of the flanges, a contact member between the opposd faces of the flanges having notches slideably embracing the opposed faces and the end edges of the flanges and having 4 forcing the contact member against said projections.

5. In a solderless connector, 3, channel shaped member having spaced flanges extending from a base, the channel being open at at least one end and the flanges having opposed faces for receiving a conductor therebetween, projections extending endwise outward from the end edges of the lower ends of the flanges, a contact member between the flanges having notches therein slideably embracing the opposed faces and end edges of the flanges and having portions resting on the upper edges of the projections and other portions projecting helow said upper edges to provide stops limiting the spreading of the flanges, and a co-operating contact means for forcing a conductor against the contact member and for forcing the contact member against said projections.

6. In a solderless connector, a channel shaped member having spaced fla extending m a base, the channel being open at at least one end and the flanges having opposed faces .for receiving a conductor therebetween, a contact member between the opposed faces of the flanges having notches therein slideably embracing the opposed faces of the flanges and the end edges of the flanges, projections underlying the ,contact member extending endwise outward from the end edges of the flanges, and a clamping screw extending through the base of the channel for forcing a conductor against the contact member.

BRUNO F. LARSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in-the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 688,369 Stone Dec. 10, 1901 2,117,725 Johnson May 17, 1938 2,147,160 Hagist et al Feb. 14, 1939 2,205,322 Thomas, Jr., et al. June 18, 1940 2,210,750 Cook et al. Aug. 6, 1940 2,381,331 Ayers Aug. '7, 1945 

